Media: South Korean president seeks legal counsel amid impeachment, treason threats

President Yoon Suk Yeol appears to be seeking legal counsel in response to potential impeachment and treason charges related to his imposition of martial law on December 3.

Kim Hong-il, a former prosecutor and close ally of President Yoon, has reportedly left his position at Sejong Law Firm, Caliber.Az reports via The Korea Times.

This follows reports that the presidential office is working to assemble a team of legal experts to defend Yoon in forthcoming court proceedings.

Kim, 68, had worked at Sejong for more than a decade before holding leadership roles at the Anti-Corruption and Civil Rights Commission and the media regulation agency. He returned to the law firm just weeks ago. Among those reportedly contacted to join Yoon’s defence team is Choi Ji-woo, who previously served as legal staff in Yoon’s office and defended the first lady, Kim Keon Hee, during investigations into the Dior bag scandal involving a Korean-American pastor in 2022.

Additionally, several lawyers who previously defended former President Park Geun-hye during her impeachment trial between December 2016 and March 2017 are said to have been approached to join Yoon’s legal team. With investigations into Yoon intensifying, his defence team is expected to be formalized soon.

These developments suggest that President Yoon is unlikely to step down voluntarily, despite hopes from some within the ruling People Power Party (PPP), including Chairman Han Dong-hoon, that he would do so “orderly.” Kim Jong-hyuk, a member of the PPP’s Supreme Council, said in an SBS radio interview that Yoon appears to have made the decision not to resign unless compelled to do so.

Officials within the presidential office and PPP Rep. Cho Kyoung-tae have also indicated that Yoon has dismissed resignation as a viable option. Furthermore, reports have emerged that the first lady has deleted her Telegram account, which some see as an indication that the couple is bracing for a prolonged legal battle.

If Yoon does indeed face impeachment and legal challenges, it would be an unprecedented situation, with a sitting president fiercely defending himself, a stark contrast to former President Park, who chose not to attend her impeachment trial.

In the wake of the political turmoil sparked by the martial law declaration, Yoon apologized to the public on December7, affirming that he would not “avoid” his legal and political responsibilities regarding the decision. However, few had anticipated that his apology would signal a readiness to fight his case in court.

By Aghakazim Guliyev